There will be significant buzz surrounding Maxx Crosby at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week, and the San Francisco 49ers are expected to be among the teams doing their due diligence on the star pass rusher.
After finishing the 2025 season ranked dead last in the NFL with just 20 total sacks, general manager John Lynch will likely make upgrading the pass rush a priority. A trade for Crosby would immediately address one of the 49ers' most glaring weaknesses heading into 2026.
Bay Area insider Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard believes a Crosby-to-49ers trade is not far-fetched, and he predicts San Francisco will ultimately get a deal done with the Las Vegas Raiders.
And it may not cost as much as early reports suggest.
"The Raiders want a ton for him, but I don't think this is going to be a wild-hot auction for a 28-year-old coming off an injury," Kawakami wrote. "And I think the 49ers will be high in the running if they offer their first-round pick (No. 27) plus a few other picks down the road.
"I don't think the 49ers would want to empty this year's stash by giving up their second- or third-round picks. But if they can offer their No. 2 in 2027 or something similar, there might be some common ground here."
Pairing Maxx Crosby with Nick Bosa, who is coming off the second ACL injury of his NFL career, could give the 49ers one of the most formidable edge duos in football. Crosby recorded 10 sacks in 15 games in 2025 and has posted double-digit sacks in three of the past four NFL seasons, proving he is still an impact player.
What the Raiders are saying in Indianapolis
While Crosby has indicated he is done with the Raiders organization, the team made it clear Tuesday that it does not share that mindset. Raiders general manager John Spytek said he expects Crosby to remain with the organization in 2026.
"Maxx is an elite player," Spytek said. "And I've been very up front from the start when I got here that we're in the business of having really good players on the team, and we need a lot more of them. It's hard to build a great team without elite players."
Spytek added that he has maintained strong communication with Crosby.
"Maxx and I have a great relationship," the GM said. "He's in the building every day getting healthy right now. We talk on the phone, we text. So, I have a great relationship with Maxx."
Mac Jones could factor into the deal
The 49ers' offseason isn't just about upgrading the defensive line. The future of backup quarterback Mac Jones has also become a major storyline.
Jones filled in admirably for Brock Purdy during his turf toe injury in 2025, starting eight games and posting a 5-3 record. He threw for 2,151 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions, keeping San Francisco firmly in the postseason hunt.
Kawakami projects the 49ers could trade Jones this offseason for a conditional 2027 third-round pick that could escalate to a second-round selection. More intriguingly, that return could be tied to a potential Crosby deal.
"This situation might be linked to the Crosby talks — the 49ers could theoretically give the Raiders the pick they acquire for Jones instead of having to put in this year's second-rounder, for instance," Kawakami wrote.
"I think the Jones market will be solid; Malik Willis will be the most popular starting quarterback option for needy teams, then Jones probably will be next in line among veterans. And it's not like the draft is loaded with automatic future QB1s, either."
Some may argue that allowing Jones to depart in free agency next offseason could net the 49ers a comparable compensatory pick if he lands a starting job elsewhere. However, that selection would not come until 2028.
Kawakami believes a trade would benefit all parties.
"Trading Jones is the right thing for him, since he deserves another starting shot," Kawakami wrote. "And it's the right thing for the 49ers, if they can get more ammunition to add at other positions this offseason."